New York City Activities

For its new L'Arche de Noé (Noah's Ark) collection, French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels tapped famed theater director Robert Wilson ("Madama Butterfly," "Einstein on the Beach") to transform the Cedar Lake performance space in Chelsea into a cabinet of curiosities. Here, more than 60 jeweled brooches—everything from diamond-studded lapis lazuli elephants to zebras with onyx-and-diamond stripes are on display. Interestingly, Wilson reduces the Ark—the biggest object in the story—to a minimal, white wooden version, which is suspended from the ceiling. The exhibit is on view through November 19th, and there's also a series of arts & crafts programming for littles, including a make-your-own-treasure chest workshop taught by instructors from Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. (Events are free and open to the public, but advanced reservations are required.)

Significantly less hectic than nearby Coney Island (though both the beach and the boardwalk are worth a visit), Manhattan Beach is an excellent option if you want the sand-and-ocean experience without having to go too far outside the city, to say, Fire Island or Asbury. There are basketball courts and lots of space for picnicking and barbecuing—plus, there’s usually a Mr. Softee ice-cream truck parked at the entrance. Keep in mind that it’s a bit of a walk from the Sheepshead Bay Q-train station, so pack as light as possible.

The Prospect Park Zoo is one of those kid-centric activities that parents really get a kick out of, too. The residents of the beautiful and meticulously cared-for enclosures run the gamut from tamarins and baboons to otters and sea lions—and so many more. Many of the exhibits are interactive, so kids pick up a lot of educational stuff without even realizing it. The week-long summer camps are a dream come true for budding zoologists.

Think of Syndicated as a one-stop-shop for the dinner-and-a-movie date. In the front, there's a restaurant and bar area with a great seasonal menu and a fun, buzzy atmosphere. In the back, there's a movie theater (also with an excellent food and drink menu) that plays an awesomely curated selection of movies at a $9 ticket price, including everything from old black-and-whites to documentaries to cult classics. The whole operation is undeniably fun.

Designed in the late 1800's by the same duo behind Manhattan's Central Park (Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux), Prospect Park, although not quite as large, is still massive at 580-plus acres, spanning multiple neighborhoods in Brooklyn, and offering plenty of outdoor fun. If you want to picnic and chill, head to Long Meadow near the top of the park (you can enter at the Grand Army Plaza or one of the openings along Prospect Park West)—which is touted as the longest green stretch in any U.S. park, at nearly a mile long. South of Long Meadow is the Ravine, an expansive woodland and waterway landscape. Further east, there's the Prospect Park Zoo and carousel. Water activities (including Prospect Park's Splash Pad) are housed at Le Frak Center at Lakeside near the southeast corner of the park. Also nearby, check out Drummer's Grove.

We’re pretty smitten with the concept here: Founder Alison Cayne transformed a carriage house into a cooking school/supper club, where area chefs lead classes on everything from cooking Vietnamese food with fresh herbs to gluten and allergen-free baking. Once the meal is made, participants grab chairs and eat the spoils together.

Though the International Culinary Center is one of the country’s best institutes for turning out chefs, sommeliers, and managers, they offer one-day crash courses for home cooks, too. The classes are wonderfully specific, with the intent of 24-hour mastery, whether you want to try your hand at cupcake decoration, fondant, or the basics of sushi.

Between April and September, making it to a baseball game—either to see the Mets or the Yankees—is pretty much mandatory. The Yankees have a stadium in the Bronx—across the street from the original—while the Mets play at Citi Field in Queens.

Whether for an opera, a musical, or a ballet, an evening out at the gem-like Lincoln Center always makes for a wonderful, dressed-up night out.

This adults-only bowling alley turned concert venue provides an entertainment trifecta, guaranteeing a pretty great night out, especially in a group. You can bowl to great music, dine on Blue Ribbon’s fried chicken and spiked milkshakes, and see the occasional big-name group.